What is SES, and how does it differ from social class? Social class reflects a group's prestige and power in a society. Most people are aware of the social class that they share with similar peers. Socioeconomic status (SES) is a term used by sociologists for variations in wealth, power, control over resources, and pres- tige. Socioeconomic status is determined by several factors--not just income--and often overpowers other cultural differences. No single variable is an effective measure of SES, but most researchers identify four general levels of SES: upper, middle, working, and lower classes. The main characteristics of these four levels are summarized in Table 6.1 . What is the relationship between SES and school achievement? Socioeconomic status and academic achievement are moderately correlated. High-SES students of all ethnic groups show higher average levels of achievement on test scores and stay in school longer than low-SES students. The longer the child is in poverty, the stronger the impact is on achievement. Why is there a correla- tion between SES and school achievement? Low-SES students may suffer from inadequate health care, teachers' lowered expectations of them, low self-esteem, learned helplessness, participation in resistance cultures, school tracking, understimulating home environments, and summer setbacks. This last striking finding is that low-SES children lose academic ground outside school over the summer, whereas higher-SES children continue to advance.
In the comment section below, describe your character's SES by classifying which of the four levels you believe your character would be classified under. Explain why you are making this judgement call.
In the comment section below, describe your character's SES by classifying which of the four levels you believe your character would be classified under. Explain why you are making this judgement call.